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Biden: History will reflect that withdrawal from Afghanistan was right thing to do
US President Joe Biden, in his final speech to military before leaving office, defended the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, saying that history will reflect that it was the right thing to do.
He said the troops “rose to the occasion” when he asked for the war in Afghanistan to end, “evacuating Americans, allies and our Afghan partners, accomplishing the largest airlift in military history and ending a war. The same courage is defined by American service in Afghanistan for over 20 years.”
He said he believes “history will reflect that was the right thing to do, but I know, I know, it was hard after decades of losing your brothers and sisters, including [during the] withdrawal. The pain was still real. And it was for me as well. Every day I still carry, every single day.”
Biden has been criticized for his handling of the messy Afghanistan withdrawal, when 13 US soldiers were killed at the Kabul airport in August 2021.
He added that six months after American troops withdrew from Afghanistan, “when Russia began its largest war in Europe since World War II, I asked you to help defend Ukraine. You didn’t hesitate. You kept Ukraine in the fight, trained Ukrainian soldiers and pilots, troops, bolstered NATO’s eastern flank. And, above all, you showed the world America stands up for freedom, stands with our friends.”
Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that in Afghanistan, President Biden ended America’s longest war that spanned four presidents and he refused hand it over to one more.
An Afghan man has pleaded guilty to sexual communication with a child in the United Kingdom. Najeebullah Arab appeared before a court in Oxford on May 8 and admitted to the offence, which took place in Grove in May 2024.
The 40-year-old had initially denied the charge and was expected to stand trial later this year. Court records stated that he made inappropriate comments to the child, including remarks about her appearance and requests to spend time alone with her.
Earlier this year, Arab also pleaded guilty to several other offences. These included one count of sexual assault linked to an incident in Grove on January 21.
He additionally admitted to charges of sexual assault, rape and kidnapping involving another woman on January 27. The court previously heard that he dragged a woman from an alleyway into a field during the incident.
Following the earlier hearings in March, a small group of protesters gathered outside the court building carrying flags and banners. Police officials praised the victims for coming forward and said the case reflected the strength of the evidence collected by investigators.
Arab is due to be sentenced for all offences on June 19. The court has ordered a pre-sentence report to assess whether he poses a danger to the public, while the judge ruled that he remain in custody until sentencing.
Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan says the National Archives digitized hundreds of historical documents, manuscripts and books during the 1404 solar year as part of efforts to preserve the country’s cultural and historical heritage.
According to the ministry, the National Archives digitized 741 books, 232 manuscripts, 358 decrees and one genealogy document over the past year.
The ministry also said that 830 books, 60 manuscripts and four decrees were restored and rebound during the same period.
In addition, 32 new manuscripts were handed over to the National Archives, further enriching the country’s collection of historical records.
Afghan officials have repeatedly stressed the importance of preserving historical documents and manuscripts, many of which date back several centuries and reflect the country’s rich cultural legacy.
Two people have been killed amid protests against a poppy eradication campaign in northeastern Badakhshan province, local officials said.
Authorities said counter-narcotics forces were deployed on Friday to Atan Jalo area of Argo district to destroy poppy fields. Clashes erupted after a number of farmers and residents reportedly attempted to block the operation.
Officials said a child was killed during Friday’s unrest, while another person died on Saturday as protests and tensions continued in the area.
According to local authorities, demonstrators also temporarily blocked the Kishm–Faizabad highway, disrupting traffic for several hours before it was reopened following coordinated efforts by security officials, religious scholars, and community elders.
Officials blamed “drug traffickers and criminal groups” for inciting the unrest and said security forces have since regained control of the area.
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